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Submit- Full
name
BENSUK, John Andrew - Date of
birth
24 June 1917 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Fitchburg, Worcester County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Worcester County, Massachusetts
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-682688 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
704th Bombardment Squadron,
446th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
22 December 1943 - Place of
death
Osnabrück, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| K | 21 | 18 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Conrad Bensuk (father)
Julia Bensuk (mother)
Helen Bensuk (sister)
Julia Bensuk (sister)
Alexander Bensuk (brother)
Alfred S. Bensuk (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-7611 -
Data
Type: B-24 H
Nickname: Silver Dollar
Destination: Osnabrück, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 2009
More information
2nd Lt John A. Bensuk attended St. Bernard's High School for two years and was a mechanic at Moryl's garage in Leominster.He enlisted at Fort Devens, Massachusetts on 20 January 1942. He received his basic training at Camp Croft, South Carolina and was then stationed at Fort Devens. He transferred to the Air Corps later in that year, and was first stationed at Westover Field. He received his commission as second lieutenant in August 1943, upon completing his bombardier training in Texas.
His brother Pfc Alfred S. Bensuk was reported missing in action in Italy on 2 July 1944 and was reported as killed in action a month later. He is buried at the American Military Cemetery in Florence, Italy.
The aircraft was hit on a wing by a bomb of another aircraft in the formation. It lost a part of the wing and went into a spin.
Two crew members survived and were taken prisoner, eight were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, www.newspapers.com - Fitchburg Sentinel
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-09, Big Spring Flying School, Texas